The present invention relates to rotatable blade assemblies for use with a tilling mechanism, and more particularly to a tooth arrangement which provides aggressive tilling action in soil having both hard, dry portions and soft portions.
Small, light weight tilling mechanisms, such as home garden rototillers or cultivators, have become very popular. Ideally, these small light-weight rototillers are gasoline powered, weigh less than 25 pounds and can be easily manipulated by a user to allow soil to be tilled such that it is broken up or pulverized into small pieces that allow free access to air and water to promote seed germination and plant growth. Such light weight rototillers typically utilize rotary blades made from formed sheet metal. Multi-toothed blades are formed as disk-like members which are secured together by a hub which serves to mount the blade on a drive axle. Typically, two blade assemblies are utilized to provide balance and stability for the rototiller during use. Typically, the teeth of the blades are triangularly shaped with a generally pointed end. The blades can be formed with various profiles in order to improve cutting efficiency in order to break up soil.
It would be desirable to provide teeth configurations for a tilling mechanism which provide more aggressive cutting in soil having both dry or hard portions and soft portions.
Briefly stated, in one aspect, the present invention is directed toward a blade assembly for use with a tilling mechanism including a first blade disk. A second blade disk is coaxially mounted to rotate with the first blade disk and is positioned in a spaced apart generally parallel fashion relative to the first blade disk. The first blade disk and the second blade disk are rotatable in a first direction. A first plurality of teeth are disposed on the first blade disk. Each of the first plurality of teeth have a first leading edge which extends generally radially outwardly from the first blade disk. A second plurality of teeth are disposed on the second blade disk. Each of the second plurality of teeth has a second leading edge which extends generally linearly outwardly from the second blade disk in a direction counter to the first direction. The second leading edge forms an obtuse angle as measured relative to a line extending in the first direction tangent to the second blade disk.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a blade assembly for use with a tilling mechanism including a first blade disk. A second blade disk is coaxially mounted to rotate with the first blade disk and is positioned in a spaced apart generally parallel fashion relative to the first blade disk. The first blade disk and the second blade disk are rotatable in a first direction. At-least-two-first-disk-bolo-teeth and at-least-two-first-disk-S-teeth are disposed on the first blade disk. A first leading edge of each of the at-least-two-first-disk-bolo-teeth extends generally linearly outwardly from the first blade disk in a direction counter to the first direction. The first leading edge forming a first obtuse angle as measured relative to a first line extending in the first direction tangent to the first blade disk. A second leading edge of each of the at-least-two-first-disk-S-teeth extends generally radially outwardly from the first blade disk. At-least-two-second-disk-bolo-teeth and at-least-two-second-disk-S-teeth are disposed on the second blade disk. A third leading edge of each of the at-least-two-second-disk-bolo-teeth extends generally linearly outwardly from the second blade disk in a direction counter to the first direction. The third leading edge forms a second obtuse angle as measured relative to a second line extending in the first direction tangent to the second blade disk. A fourth leading edge of each of the at-least-two-second-disk-S-teeth extends generally radially outwardly from the second blade disk.